Orphan's Story
by The Andromeda Rose
Summary: What happens when you're abandoned, and you're entrusted to your deceased father's ally's care?
1. Chapter 1: Trains, Memories, & Stranger

**Chapter 1: Trains, Memories, and the Stranger**

_**Inside a train tunnel on 14 April 2011**_

_A young female girl, about the age of seven sat in a train car with her parents. They were travelling from Chicago, Illinois, to Yonkers, New York, for her father__'__s convention, and this was the only available transportation to get all three of them there. The girl wondered what the convention looked like as she opened a book to read, __**I wonder what this convention is? Father said that I**__**'**__**d meet some of his old friends there. I wonder if there**__**'**__**s any-**__ her train of thought was cut off as the train suddenly screeched to a halt in the middle of the dark tunnel. Only the train__'__s head light lit the tunnel, that is, until another light at the other end of the tunnel came into view._

"_Why'__d they stop, Father?" she cried to the young man sitting across from her._

"_There'__s another train up ahead, but that__'__s no reason to stop, this is a double track." he turned to the nearest lad who worked on that train car, "This is a double track, isn__'__t it?"_

"_I don'__t believe so." he glanced out the left window, then the right, "There__'__s only one! We__'__re going to crash!"  
__"Come here, Sweetie." the child'__s father stood up and sat on the opposite seat next to his daughter, hugging her, "It__'__s alright" he cooed to the little girl, "there__'__s nothing to be__—"_

"_**Attention passengers: do not be alarmed-we have a Code Red emergency. Please return to your assigned cars immediately, **__**and remain there until further notice."**_

"_Please, return to your seat Sir, it__'__s too dangerous to-" the young man, as well as the passengers, were all thrown back into the wall as the train collided with the oncoming train. The train car they were in, immediately collapsed on the trio as well as the rest of the passengers around them, injuring few, but killing many._

"_Shelby!" the __emerald-eyed male pulled the little one towards him when another part of the roof caved in on them. He looked over to his right, where the young lad was once standing__—__he was now buried underneath all the rubble._

"_Daddy, what'__s happening?" the little girl leaned against her father, "Daddy?"_

"_I…don'__t know, Sweetheart." he answered back weakly. He knew what would become of him…_

_A flash of green light interrupted the atmosphere. Another young man stood before him. He wore dark blue jeans, and a dress shirt with a leather jacket over it. He scanned the rubble until his eyes landed on his friend and his friend__'__s daughter, "Nicholas?" he knelt down next to his friend, then grabbed the roof and pulled as hard as he could, that is, until Nicholas refused his help._

"_No, don__'__t. Save Shelby first."  
The other nodded, "Come on, Shell, we need to get you out of there."_

_Shelby opened her eyes, but shut them once again as her head began to throb once again. The very last thing the girl saw, was a dark figure, with crimson eyes looming above her. He held her against his chest to support her. Glancing around, he beheld the other passengers, the lad, and her father._

"_Nick?" he knelt next to the other again, "Nicholas?" he shook the other'__s shoulder. No reply. He grasped his wrist, but felt…nothing, "S-soni…?"_

"_Daddy?" Shelby'__s hand grasped his shirt, trying to look up._

_Immediately, the crimson-eyed male clutched the girl__'__s head to his chest so she couldn__'__t move, "Honey, don__'__t."_

"_Wha—__? Why? Where__'__s my Daddy?!"_

"_Your Daddy'__s…" he grimaced, he couldn__'__t tell her that her father had just died__—__no! "Your Daddy…had to leave, and he said that he doesn__'__t know when he__'__ll be back, so he asked me to take care of you for him."_

"_But—__I want to see my Daddy!" tears began flowing down her cheeks as her breathing became more forced, "Where is he?"_

"_I don'__t know." the flooring shifted precariously below them, "I think we__'__d better leave, Honey."_

_As the child__'__s new father stepped away from the unstable part of the floor, he noticed that she blew a kiss into the air into no particular direction, just as long as it reached her Daddy__—__wherever he was._

"_I love you Daddy.__"__ she whispered softly, and resting her head on the stranger__'__s shoulder._

_The crimson-eyed male looked around at the room: red liquid stained the couches of the tiny room they had called home for the past several days, the carpets, and other things. Once again, he pressed the girl securely into his arms, then reached behind his head to fish out a green gem of some sort, then shouted, "CHAOS CONTROL!" and disappeared from the area._

_XXX_

_The stranger reappeared next to a brick building, where he carried the human girl inside, and laid her on the only wooden bench in the foyer. Kneeling down, he stuffed a letter into her pocket before dropping another letter on the desk, and ringing the bell. Returned to the girl__'__s side, he whispered, "I will return, just stay here, and be good for them-and for your father."_

_The girl couldn__'__t respond to him, but she never forgot those words as the headmistress rushed into the room, then the stranger disappeared once again, leaving the woman to run up to the girl, attending to her wounds and other things such as the like._

_The stranger watched from the window as the girl was taken into a back room, and as the mistress addressed the letter on the desk, reading it, but threw it aside, leaving an elderly maid to pick it up and read it, before keeping it herself, following the mistress into the back room._

_The stranger drew away from the window before taking off in a golden blur, dust stirring into the air behind him. When the dust eventually settled, it revealed a sign that read, "Muirwood Orphanage."_

XXX

_**Seven and a half years later. Muirwood Orphanage.**_

"Shelby!" shouted an angry voice, "Shelby, come out immediately!"

"Yes, Mrs. Muirwood?" a young girl, almost the age of fifteen, with dark gold hair stopped in front of Mrs. Muirwood.

"Shelby, I've told you time and time again, be careful! You heard what the doctor said. Now, Ms. Maurice, please, go get on your clothes and wash up for dinner." she sighed, "After that, I will have a talk with you and Brandon about this situation."

"Yes, Mrs. Muirwood, I will." Shelby stood absolutely still until the mistress dismissed her, then walked to the bathrooms of the orphanage, which, led past the older boy's hall of residence.

She cautiously entered the bathrooms-no one here. Shelby let out a sigh of relief as she entered. Not long ago, Bruce, along with some of the older boys, invaded the girl's bathrooms. They began to hit on some of the girls there, where, Shelby among several of the other girls, got pregnant by the boys.

She glanced down to her belly. She was almost one month pregnant. She smiled a mother's warm smile, despite the unpleasant experience back then.

"Hiya, Shelby!"

"Oh, hi, Mami!" Shelby greeted her Japanese friend. Mami, also, was pregnant, but unfortunately, the boy whom she got pregnant by, is not known.

"What are you doing this evening?"

"Mrs. Muirwood wanted to speak with Brandon and I."

"Brandon? Didn't he…"

"Yes, he's the one."

"Oh, yeah." she huffed, "Oh, I've got to go Shelby; I'll see you later!"

"Okay, I'll see you Mami." Shelby watched as her friend left the room, and returned to the dorms, then proceeded to wash up for dinner.

XXX

"Now, considering the incident just a month ago, we must do something about it. Now Shelby, you are pregnant by Brandon, correct?"

"That's correct, Mrs. Muirwood."

"Now, Brandon, you know our moral standards, and you disobeyed them deliberately. I don't know what to do with you, except that you will help Shelby raise your children _together."_

"But, Mrs. Muirwood-"

"They are your children, Brandon, and you must take responsibility of them as well as of Shelby, who will become your wife after the children are born—"

"No! No! N-not-not with _him!"_ protested the girl, pointing an accusing finger at the older boy beside her.

"Ms. Maurice, you know as well that the husband must support his wife, and since you are pregnant by him, you two shall be married after the babies are born—possibly a few months after they are born, or when you turn eighteen-which is some years off. And Brandon shall support you and your children beginning now and lasting until long after you are both married."

"Mrs. Muirwood-"

"Mrs. Muirwood-"

"No. That is final. Now both of you are dismissed." she laid her glasses on the desk, heaving a heavy sigh as the two started to bicker again, "and starting immediately, both of you must learn to get along with each other. Both of you will come to my office every afternoon and learn how to manage a house, cook, and other things that you will need to know if you are to live together."

"Yes, Mrs. Muirwood."

Shelby sighed as Brandon crossed his arms with an attitude, _"Yes,_ Mrs. Muirwood."

"Or would you like to be married immediately?"

"N-no!"

"Forget it."

"Then _get along."_ she pointed to the wooden door not far from them, "You are dismissed."

The two teenagers walked out of the room, neither of them bothering to look at the other. They returned to their usual rooms, not ever to even come near the other for as long as possible.

_**About a week later…**_

Shelby walked along the hallway to the courtyard of the orphanage. She loved to go out there during the Springtime, and Summer to admire the flowers and to tend to the garden they had every year. She had a smile plastered on her face, that is, until she saw Brandon sitting on the bench under the _sakura,_ or _cherry blossom,_ tree. She gave a disgusted look at the boy, then turned away from him, going in the opposite direction toward the water garden.

"Now, what's that for?" Brandon asked, throwing a disgusted look back to Shelby.

"I'm not the one who barged into the girl's bathroom and did what they darn well pleased."

"Well, I'm not the one who wanted to be married-"

"I don't want to be either-"

"Besides, I didn't know girls could get…pregnant…so easily…"

"What do you mean by _that?"_ now it was Shelby's turn to glare at the other.

"Well, I thought that girls matured a lot later, like at about sixteen, or so…"

"Wrong, Brandon. As soon as girls start their period, we can get pregnant at _any_ time-" she noted the searching expression on the male's face before continuing to clear what she had said, "-it can start as early as eight years on some girls, but most of the time, it's about when a girl is twelve or thirteen."

"Oh, I didn't know that."

"Well, now you know." now, the boy blushed, but he glanced back at her, and to her tummy, "Now, what are you looking at me like that for?"

"Well-I…"

"What?"

"Ah, no offense, but I was just wondering what our children look like is all."

"Oh…" now it was the girl's turn to blush, "I don't know…I guess we won't know until they're born."

"You're…having twins, aren't you?"

"Well, I don't know yet. I don't know what sex they are either…but I'd like to know so badly!" she added happily.

Brandon smiled, "I would like to know too, y'know?"

She shrugged, "Yeah, I know." she sat down, thinking for a moment or so, "I wonder what to name him…? Perhaps for a boy I'll name him "Shane." "

"Shane?"

"Why, yes. Shane is the name of the one who saved me when my father and I were in a train accident when I was seven." the smile on her face disappeared as she looked down a her skirt, "He said that he'd return for me…but he hasn't come yet."

"That's what they all say. They never return."

"But I believe him. I believe that he's going to return…soon."

"Okay, whatever Shelby." Brandon paused, "Hey, Shelby, I've been thinking about what Mrs. Muirwood said, and…I kinda regret saying some things that I shouldn't have said."

Shelby glanced up, partially surprised and suspicious, "Like what?"

"Well, I do want to support you and my children, and I'd also like to at least try to get along with you so our child won't grow up in a torn home or such…y'know?"

"Yeah." she thought for a moment, "All right, we can try to get along, but it doesn't mean that I'm going to marry you just yet. Agreed?"

"Agreed."

"Good."

"Shell?"

She rolled her eyes at the nickname, "Yes?"

"What name were you thinking for a girl?"

"Oh, I don't know…probably Amelia, or Genevieve."

"Genevieve?" Brandon smiled, "I kinda like that name too."

Shelby smiled. Maybe they would get along?

XXX

A couple of weeks, then months, passed, and Shelby and Brandon got along, quickly becoming friends to their surprise, but that didn't mean that Shelby could get along with Brandon's friends. This led to Shelby sometimes getting seriously hurt by the other boys trying to rid Brandon of Shelby, but Brandon would have nothing of it. If Shelby was going to carry his children, then he would not let anyone near her for fear of their children getting hurt. He even asked if he could be moved closer to Shelby when some of the boys started to target her. This, fortunately, was granted, and he was moved to the dorm on the border of the girl's and the boy's dorm, and Shelby was moved to the room next door to Brandon's room so he could easily keep an eye out for her at all times.

"Hiya, Shell!" Brandon ran up to his friend, and the mother of his child.

"Hi, Brandon." she smiled at the brown eyed boy, "Want to get something to eat?"

"Sure! I hope they have ice cream and French fries today!" she smiled.

"Ice cream and French fries?" Brandon smiled, trying to hold back a disgusted look on his face as the young, pregnant woman examined the chalk board menu, "You getting another of those weird cravings again?"

"Heh, yeah. I am." she grinned, closing her eyes in contentment.

"I think they're having fried chicken in the cafeteria today…or was it pizza?"

"Pizza is always on Fridays, Brandon." she leaned toward his arm as they entered the cafeteria, then the pungent scent of garlic hit their noses, making them scrunch up in disgust.

"I never have, and I never will like that smell."

"Me neither. Garlic's always given me headaches."

"Really? It has me too."

"I guess it affects a lot of people, huh?"

"Yup. It does." he grabbed a tray for Shelby and himself, "Here you go, Shelly."

"Thanks, Brandy." she smirked mischievously.

"Hey!" he retorted at his new nickname, "Shelby!"

She piled mashed potatoes on her tray, "Ah, I'm just messing with you, Brandon." she smiled, "Now c'mon! Let's go eat under the sakura tree!"

"All right, I'm coming!" he grabbed a biscuit from a tray, then followed Shelby out to the sakura tree.

XXX

A young man, in his mid thirties, walked into Muirwood Orphanage. He had jet black hair with red streaks that ended halfway at his neck, and crimson eyes.

His heart raced as he walked up to the welcome centre where a woman was cleaning the desk with a rag, "I'm here to adopt one of your children today. May I see them?"

The woman who sat behind the counter flinched at the sound of his deep voice, "Ah, why, that is up to my mistress, Sir. Let me go find her."

Not more than a few minutes later, the elderly woman came back following another, middle-aged woman to the desk, "Hello. My maid here tells me that you want to adopt a child. Is that correct?"

"Correct. I would like to adopt one today if all possible."

"Yes, yes, you may, but next time, you should call ahead and make an _appointment_ first."

He closed his eyes, crossing his arms, "I prefer not to be in crowds during open houses."

"I see." she scoffed looking over the young man's city style of dressing, "I'm Mrs. Muirwood." the woman started down one of the many halls, "Come this way."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome, Mr…? I-I don't believe I heard your name."

"Robotnik." he confirmed, "My name is Robotnik Shane."

"Your first name is Robotnik?"

"No, Shane is. I'm part Japanese, and in Japan you introduce yourself using last names _before_ first names."

"Ah, I see?" the woman made a face, "Mr. Robotnik, yes." she confirmed, "You don't look Japanese."

"I know I do not. But I am part Japanese whether you like it or not."

She scoffed once more, "Are you from Muirwood?"

"No, I travelled from New York."

"Quite a distance to adopt a single child."

"I'm looking for the _right_ child to adopt." he retorted back, getting slightly irritated by the stuck up woman's manner.

The next archway they passed through revealed the many children at the orphanage, "This is the cafeteria." she let Shane walk around for a moment, "Was there a particular age you wanted for your child?"

"Yes, there is. A female, about the age of fourteen to sixteen."

"The children are separated into four groups. The young adults are in the next room over." she led him to a room filled with teenagers alike, "Are you married, Mr. Robotnik?"

"No."

"Why, is there a reason why you'd like to adopt a child?"

"To not have a companion is like trying to live with your own shadow, Mrs. Muirwood." he stated simply, "and I certainly do not like to see children grow up without parents." he walked on ahead, leaving the woman to explore this area of the orphanage on his own.

"Yes, that is quite true. Children are-" she stopped when she noticed he had gone on ahead, "Rude fellow."

"Besides," he whispered as he walked along the tables, watching the teenagers, "I have a promise to keep."

XXX

Shelby stifled a laugh when Brandon tried to shoot milk out through his nose, "You're disgusting!"

"I know, but it's fun to be disgusting." he simply grinned back at the girl, causing her to burst out laughing.

"Stop it! Stop it, Brandon!" she scooted away from his "fountain of milk," but failed miserably when he accidentally knocked over his cup of milk, spilling it all over Shelby's clothes, "Brandon!"

"Heh, oops. Sorry, Shell." he grabbed a napkin, wiping her shirt off. He paused when his hand went across her bulging stomach. He felt the baby kick his hand, "Sorry, lil' one." he chuckled as the babe squirmed under his hand.

"I don't blame you, Baby. I'm soaked too." she laid her hand beside Brandon's, "I'd better go change into something dry and lie down. I'm not feeling too well again."

"Oh, okay. Let me help the lovely lady, then." he helped her back to her room, where she rested for most of the rest of the day.

XXX

Roughly two hours passed, and Shane was outside now, but he still had not found the "right" girl to be his adopted daughter.

He sat under a sakura tree. He was becoming frustrated to say the least, "Where is she?" he ran his fingers anxiously through his hair, "It's possible that she's been adopted these past years. Oh, Sonic, I'm so sorry…I completely messed everything up by leaving your daughter here. If…if only you were still alive…she'd be able to be with you."

The young man watched children and teenagers walk in and out of the building, having free roam of the indoors and out. There were several girls, and among them, one he had not seen until now. She was heading toward the sakura tree which Shane sat under.

"Hello." she smiled, holding a sketchbook in her arms, "Is there someone sitting here?"  
"No. It's free if you want to sit here."

"Thanks." again, she smiled at the stranger, noticing his crimson-coloured eyes, "You seem oddly familiar…what's your name?"

"Robotnik Shane. What's yours?"

"Maurice Shelby." she chuckled, realising that he was Japanese also despite the typical Japanese features, "You are Japanese?"

"Yes. And you're Japanese too?" Shane's hopes skyrocketed.

"Yes, I am."

"Shell-Shelby? Is it really you?" he knelt in front of the girl.

She scooted away from the other, "Me? What do you mean?"

"Shelby, it's _me, __**Shane!"**_ he anxiously awaited her response, "The letter. Do you still have it?"

"_Shane?"_ she questioned cautiously.

He nodded, "Yes. It's me. I saved you from the train wreck when you were seven."

The girl covered her open mouth with her hand, "You came back?"

"I promised I would, and I did." he reached toward her hand, "I'm sorry I took so long, Shell—I have been working on government business for the past several years, and it took much longer than I expected."

"Almost eight years?"

"I can't reveal it just yet, sweetie…it's classified information."

"Oh."

"I'll tell you soon, but not now, 'kay?"

"Okay."  
"Shell-Shelby?"

"Hmm?"

"You-you're…" he blushed, glancing away from her.

"Pregnant?" she answered softly, knowing what he was thinking, "It-it was an accident, but Brandon is helping me now."

"Brandon? Who is he?"

"The father."

He stiffened, "Oh." he reached toward her hand.

"What's wrong, Shane?"

"Well, it's just that...I'm only here for you, and you only, Shell."

"So Brandon is going to have to stay?"

"Yeah." he glanced away, immediately feeling a pang of guilt punch him in the stomach, "Unless we can work out something between the head mistress and the orphanage...so that you guys can continue to see each other, then…"

"Oh, Shane, that'd be perfect!"

"I said _"if"_ they'll let us do something like that."

"He'll be eighteen in a May-then we won't have to worry."

"But _you_ are almost fourteen, Shelby, and I'm not willing to let you marry him, 'kay?"

"I didn't say I _wanted_ _to __**marry**__him!"_

"Wait...I thought you said that he's the child's father, right?"

"Yeah."

"But you got pregnant by him...didn't you?"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, Shane. I did _not_ go and-I mean he did-the guys here-they came and-it's-I-Shane!" she blushed furiously, trying to explain what happened, but she was too embarrassed to do so.

"What?" he blinked, "Shelby, I don't understand what you're trying to say."

"Sh-Shane…?"

"Yes?"

She motioned for him to come closer, then whispered into his ear. When he heard, however, he bit his lip.

"Sweetie, I don't...I don't know what to tell you, except…"

"Except what, Shane?"

"I just don't like this boy. He's trouble."

"A little, but not much." she tried reasoning with Shane, in hopes of changing his mind.

"No. And that's final, Shelby."

"But Shane—"

"Shelby, I said no." he helped the girl stand up, "Let's go talk to the head mistress about my adopting you, 'kay, hon?"

She looked toward her feet, "Okay."

He hugged his soon-to-be-daughter, "Smile. Your father wouldn't want you to be moping around. I know that for a fact."

"You knew my Dad?"

"We were close friends, and at other times enemies." he chuckled remembering the girl's father, "I know he loved you a lot—he would never let anyone hurt you. He did so much for you after your mother passed away. I remember he'd always talk about her and…even when the government wouldn't let you come with him on his mission, he managed to convince them to let you stay with him because he loved you so much. You were always at your side as long as you weren't in danger, even until the day he…"

"Left to go somewhere?" she recalled the day of the train wreck, "That's what you told me, right?"

"Well…he did go somewhere in a way, sweetheart…You know what I'm talking about, right?"

"Did he…" she paused realising what Shane meant, "die when you told me he went somewhere and you didn't know where he was going to?"

"Y-yes."

"I sometimes wondered about that." she closed her eyes, trying to shut out the memory of that day.

"I wish I could have saved him…but he passed away right after I got you out of the mess." he pulled the lass into a hug, "Don't cry, 'kay?" he kissed the top of her head, "The head mistress is gonna ask if she sees you like this."

"I-I know." she leaned into her friend's arms to feel a feeling she hadn't known for quite some time—security.

Shane reached into his pocket to pull out a handkerchief, and wiped away the girl's tears that seemed to flow nonstop, "Come on, Honey, let's get you out of this place."

"Okay." she smiled, looking up at Shane, "Thank you."

XXX

"I see. We have had Maurice's records since 2011, Mr. Robotnik." she looked the young man over, "I only have one problem with you adopting her, Mr. Robotnik."

"What's that?"

"She won't have a mother. You'll basically be both her mother and father for the rest of her life."

"So? What's wrong with that? Hundreds of other fathers have cared for their children since the mother couldn't do so, or she was deceased."

"I understand that, Mr. Robotnik."

"But?" he urged.

"You have no experience in raising children, so how are you going to raise her and her child?"

"Mrs. Muirwood…" he glanced away, obviously frustrated by the woman's disapproval of him adopting Shelby, "I _can,_ and I _will_ adopt Shelby whether you like it or not. It's not against the law to adopt a child if you have never been married or had children of your own." now, Shane was growing steadily irritated with the woman, "If I must, I will get a lawyer to help me."

"There is no _need_ for that, Sir. We are perfectly capable of handling situations—"

Shane stood up, leaned over the desk and forced his face into Mrs. Muirwood's, making his lawyer threat seem like a drop in the bucket compared to this action, "Just give me the freakin' adoption papers!

XXX

_A few days later, Shane and Shelby are travelling in Shane's SUV to Station Square, New York, a few days' drive from Muirwood Orphanage in Illinois._

"So we're headed for Station Square in New York City?" Shelby looked over the map that Shane had given to her earlier, "I've never heard of it."

Gripping the driving wheel, Shane glanced over at the girl, giving a slightly worried smile, "You mean to tell me you don't remember living in Station Square with your father?"

"We did?" her curiosity grew—how much had she really forgotten? "What's it like?"

"Well, you and your father lived with a friend for a little while, then moved to an apartment on the outskirts of town. You guys mostly went wherever to wind took you two. Never stayed in one spot."

"Ah, I see. Kinda like gypsies?"

"Not quite. Gypsies have a community all their own, and Nicholas _wasn't_ a gypsy. I know that for a fact."

"My Dad sounds pretty neat." she smiled, wondering if she still had a picture of him and her mother, "What about my Mom? What was she like?"

"Well, that I really can't answer, 'cause I've never met her. Nick talked about her sometimes, but not too often."

"Oh…do you know if she's still alive?"

"She died giving birth to you."

"O-oh…" _I guess I really am an orphan…both of my parents are dead, and I've been adopted by one of Dad's friends._

"You okay, hon?"

"…yeah, I'm just thinking."

"What cha thinking about?"

"My parents…that both of them are gone and all." her voice choked mid-sentence.

"Hey," he reached over, laying his hand on her knee, "I never had any parents. All I had was a non-blood related sister, and her grandfather. That's it. I never knew what it was like to have a mother and a father and what it was like to live in a normal home." he looked over to Shelby smiling, "You have more than I could ever gather together out of the world. You got to spend the first part of your life with your real father, my parents didn't exist at all."

The pregnant lass looked up at her guardian curiously. Something didn't sound right about his last sentence, but she brushed it off letting it go as a common mistake, "I guess you're right…I am kinda lucky to have spent time with Dad while others have never met theirs."

"That's what I want to hear from you, kiddo!" he smiled, pulling her towards him into a sort of half hug, making her laugh.


	2. Chapter 2: Home Sweet Home

**Chapter 2: Home Sweet Home**

"How long 'till we're at your house?" Shelby looked out of her window, gazing in awe at the sight of the sky-high buildings.

"Not too long." he pointed toward a river next to them, "See that river?"

"Mm-hm."

"That's the Sombre River. My—Er, _our_ place now, is just past that bridge up ahead in a market area."

"Good. I'm starting to feel a little carsick again."

"Don't think about being carsick—it usually only makes it worse."

"Okay…" she laid down the comic, and leaned back in her chair, trying to think of something else besides her sickness, "What does your house look like?"

Their vision suddenly grew dark when they turned into a parking garage. Shane turned the car's headlights on as he continued, "It's an apartment here in the city, overlooking the Sombre River, and downtown Station Square and New York."

"Really?" she folded her arms, watching multiple cars go by as they continued up several levels of parking, "Water?"

"Yeah, water." he pulled into one of the parking spots, then unbuckling his seat belt, let his gaze fall to the young girl, "Geez…you're more like Nick than I thought."

"I am?"

"You can bet on it. Nick _hated_ water with a passion." he laughed, "Along with several of his other bad qualities, that one was his worst." he tugged at the flimsy little magazine she held in her hands, "Hey, are you listening? What cha reading?"

"A Sonic the Hedgehog comic."

"You like Sonic?"

"Not really. Shadow and Silver are my favourite characters—they _both_ come in number one! Sonic…he ain't even on the list anymore."

_She doesn't like Sonic? Her father? _"What do you mean "anymore?" "

"Well, Sonic is always cocky, and he gets all the attention. I've hardly ever seen Silver get anything more than appearing in a few comics, and a couple minor parts in games. Shadow is the only one besides Tails and Knuckles to get their own game that I know of so far."

"True, true. But Sonic is the main character, _and_ SEGA's mascot."

"So? Mario's the most popular game character on the planet, and yet we don't even know why."

"You've got a point." he fumbled with something in his pockets, "Hey? Where's my keys?"

"Right here." Shelby smirked at Shane, "You've really got to watch yourself there, Shane, before some _real_ pickpocket decides to grab your keys."

He frowned playfully, "Smart aleck."

The young mother stuck her tongue out at the other, before tossing the keys over to Shane, "Shane?"

He stepped outside of the SUV, "Yeah, Shelby?"

"Are those the people you were talking about who knew my Dad?" she motioned for Shane to look behind the car, to see several other people about Shane's age walking towards them.

"Hmm?" glancing over his shoulder, Shane noticed several familiar faces, but turned back to his work of unpacking his and Shelby's suitcases and boxes.

"Is the white-haired one who you were talking about?"

"Yeah. That's him."

"Hiya, Shane!" three voices greeted their friend simultaneously.

"Hello, Amy, Shiruba." Shane dropped a suitcase on the garage floor, "Taranaki."

"Hey, what about me, Shane?" a young woman with lavender coloured hair with dark purple highlights teased her friend.

"I didn't forget you, Blaze—or you Miles." he locked he carrot-topped boy in a bear hug, "Come 'ere you rascal!" he laughed, realising just how much he came to grow to love Tails as his own "little brother" just as Sonic had, and how Tails now looked up to Shadow as his "older bro.," "How would you like to meet your brother's daughter, eh, Miles?"

"Sure, Shane! Where is she?" he glanced behind Shane, to see a young girl about his age watching the whole thing, "Are you Shelby?"

"Mm-hm, I'm Shelby, your brother's daughter. And you're Miles?" she opened the car door, but when she went to step out, she tripped, and fell.

Miles ran around to the other side of the SUV, "You okay, Shelby?" grasping her hand and helping her back up, now noticing her slightly bulging belly, "I-I hope you didn't hurt yourself, bein' pregnant an' all." he started rather nervously.

Hearing the commotion on the opposite side of the car, Shane and the others raced around to find Miles helping Shelby back up from the fall.

Shane reached toward Shelby to help support her, "You okay, Sweetie?"

"Yeah. Thankfully, I landed on my side."

"That's better than landing on your stomach, y'know?" Shiruba smiled at the pregnant girl, offering her his arm for support, "You're Nicholas's daughter, right?"

"The one and only." she noticed the group's odd colourings: this young man who just addressed her, had silver hair, and gold eyes. The other man had red hair—not carrot-topped like the boy, but just apple red with violet eyes. The first girl had hot pink hair, and jade coloured eyes, while the second had lavender and gold coloured eyes. Then Shane's colouring was odd too… "Are you Shiruba?"

"Yeah. I'm assuming Shane was talking about how we used to play with each other when we were little?"

"Yeah." she smiled, "I remember now. You and Miles were like my big brothers."

"And you were my little sister." he hugged her, "Geez, I've missed you so much, Shell." he snuggled closer to his "little sister."

She too embraced the snuggle—or rather, "huggle"—a combination hug and snuggle—"I've missed you too."

Shiruba smiled as the two finally came out of their hug and turned toward the others. Shiruba, however, still had both his arms wrapped around Shelby from behind and rested his chin lightly upon her head, almost teasing her, "Shell, this is Amy, Taranaki, and Blaze. And of course, you've already met Miles."

"I remember when we were toddlers, we'd always tease Taranaki."

"You've grown since Nick left—er, went away to…uh?" he looked to Shane worriedly, wondering if he had said something he shouldn't have said.

"It's okay, Shiruba, I told her."

"Oh-oh." he blushed, "Good." he thought he felt a sweatdrop the size of Manhattan slide down his face.

"Sil-Shiruba's right, you have grown, Shelby. Uh, no offence."

"It's okay. I'm kinda used to it now." she leaned against the SUV, feeling somewhat lightheaded, "Shane, I think I need to lie down; I'm starting to feel sick again."

"Okay. Shiruba, can you and Amy take her to my apartment while I get our things?"

"Sure. Do you have the keys?"

"Right here." he tossed the keys over to his friend.

"Come on, Shell." Shiruba wrapped his arm around the girl, comforting her in a way, and to support her, "You alright?"

"Egh…" she moaned softly, "I've never been so sick before in my life."

"It's alright," he led her towards the elevator room, "just don't think about it."

"Miles, go with the others, we'll meet you upstairs."

Taranaki watched as the boy nodded then ran off after the others. He waited until all four of them were out of sight and earshot before talking, "Silver really likes Shelby, doesn't he?"

"He sure does." Blaze piped up, "I know he used to play with Shelby all the time when she was little. She's like his little sister." she paused, thinking about her golden-eyed friend, "It really upset him when she had to go to the orphanage."

"I know…I couldn't do anything about it. But she was better off at the orphanage with Eggman on the loose than she would have been with me." he brushed his bangs out of the way, scratching his forehead, "But with her pregnant, I don't know what to do especially when we move back to Mobius—there's Scourge, and Mephiles, and…" he trailed off, seeming to think about their future on Mobius.  
"Won't she transform back into her natural form when we move back to Mobius once our mission is finished?"

"Yeah, her kids should transform into hedgehogs just like their mother and the rest of us return to Mobius and our natural forms."

"So there's no need to worry."

"True, but how do we get her accustomed to the fact that Sonic the Hedgehog is her father? She's already told me on the way up that she doesn't like him as much as Silver or I."

"Shelby doesn't like Sonic?" the would-be echidna, Knuckles, or known as Taranaki for now, searched Shane's eyes worriedly, "That's practically impossible! Everyone likes Sonic, but his own daughter."

"You think? I kinda wonder how Sonic would feel if he were still alive."

"Well, I'm sure she'll soon grow to like Sonic, especially since Tails has a _massive_ Sonic collection he got from SEGA when Sonic died."

"Haha! I'm sure she will! He'll probably get Shelby to play every Sonic game ever made, and teach her all the tricks of the trade."

Shane partially smiled, thinking about Miles teaching Shelby about every little trick and "Easter Egg" in every game. Shane's smile saddened as he wished that Sonic could teach Shelby those tricks instead of Miles, _I wish Sonic was still here, then he and Shell would be able to spend time together, and they'd be able to get to know each other…_

"Shane, you alright?" Blaze's voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

"Huh? Yeah…kinda." he gave a weak smile.

"What's wrong?" she and Shane seemed to walk in unison as they turned down the hallway towards his apartment.

"I'm just thinking…like, if Nick were still here, he and Shelby would be able to do things as father and daughter."

"But you're her father now."

"Adopted father." he corrected, "I can't replace Nick—I don't even know how to be a father! I don't even know where to begin, Blaze! And I don't want to mess up and…!" he trailed off, thinking about Maria and Miles, and some of the social mistakes he made in the Past.

"Shane, you're doing really well so far." Taranaki turned around to face Blaze and Shane, "Being a father isn't that hard. What children need is love as they're growing up, that's it. Love. And, well, discipline occasionally."

"Besides, you've taken care of Miles since Nicholas died, and you haven't had too much trouble with him."

"Heh, yeah." he glanced away, "Let's…get these into the apartment…" opening the door, he went inside, leaving the other two behind.

"Man…I've never seen Shadow so…so…Ah, what's the word?"

"Discouraged?"

"Yeah. He seems really discouraged."

"I know what you mean, Knux. Shadow's always been the one to keep to himself, but he's become so expressive since Sonic died."

"Blaze, we'd better call each other by our temporary names until Shane tells Shelby about our mission."

"Oh, yeah, I forgot."

"It's okay, Blaze. And you're right, he has changed." he watched as their friend opened a box, and pulled some things out, "We have to do our best to keep him from getting too discouraged, Blaze."

"I'll do my part for sure."

"Why don't you cook for him, Shelby and Miles tomorrow night, or the day after? I'm sure that'll help cheer him up."

"That's a good idea, Taranaki!" she smiled with delight at the thought.

"Where do you want these suitcases, Shane?" he asked, looking around the living room, "One of these are Shelby's, right?"

"Yeah. The blue and the black ones belong to her, and the red ones are mine." he took one of the boxes from Blaze, "These boxes all have Shelby's things from when she was at the orphanage, so we'd better take them to her room along with the suitcases."

"Okay."  
"Her room's down this way." he led the two down the hall, pointing to his room as they approached it, "Put my suitcases by my door and I'll take care of them later."

"Shane?" Blaze caught up to her crimson-eyed friend as she turned into Shane's room.

Silence passed between the two before Shane glanced over his shoulder and to the female, "Yes?"

"Well…I—it's nothing, Shane."

"What? Go on, what is it you want to ask me?"

"It's nothing."

"Sure?"

"Yeah."

He smiled, blushing nervously when he noticed the blush that crept across her face too, "Uh…you know which room Shelby's is, right?"

"Yes, I do Shane. Her room is the second biggest." she giggled.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing, Shane. It's nothing."

He grinned cockily, "Goof."

"Hey!"

Shane couldn't help but chuckle at the lass's bout, "I didn't do anything!" he raised his hands playfully in defence.

"Shane, could I make dinner for you guys some time this weekend? –if it's not going to conflict with anything…"

"Sure, if you want to, Blaze." he smiled when he said her name, "We'd love that." he led her out into the hallway.

The duo paused a few feet from Shelby's room to see Shelby lying on her bed with Shiruba sitting beside her, rubbing her back and shoulders. They were talking about the times they spent together. Miles was by the desk unpacking a box of electronics and setting them up quickly, and efficiently.

**A/N: I am so, so, sooooo sorry for being gone all this time! I finished up high school last year and starting college this Autumn (I'll be studying nursing) – not to mention moving across the dang country -_- I will update TASH&MB2 as soon as I can. I'm also working on a Phineas and Ferb, as well as a **_**Doctor Who**_** (YAAAAAAAYYYYY!) story XD I LOVE Doctor Who! :3**

…**anyways, I'll (attempt) to update a story at least once a month – one a month, or whichever ones are updated at that time, or so, and keep on writing. I made a promise to you guys a few years ago, that I'd finish ALL of my stories, and I will. Just give me some time ;)**


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